Strategic Habitat Units (SHUs) and Strategic River Reach Units (SRRUs) - v3

<div style='text-align:Left;'><p style='margin-bottom:14.25pt; background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><span style='font-size:16.5pt; font-family:&quot;Century Gothic&quot;, sans-serif; color:rgb(14, 69, 111); letter-spacing:0.75pt;'>Strategic Habitat and River Reach Units for Aquatic Species of Conservation Concern in Alabama and Adjoining States</span></p><p style='margin-bottom:14.25pt; background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><span style='background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><font size='3'>The United States Fish &amp; Wildlife Service, Alabama Department of Conservation &amp; Natural Resources and Geological Survey of Alabama have selected priority watersheds (SHUs) and river corridors (SRRUs) to focus activities for the management, recovery, and restoration of populations of rare fishes, mussels, snails, and crayfishes.</font></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:14.25pt; background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><span style='background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><font size='3'>The Strategic Habitat Units (SHUs) and Strategic River Reach Units (SRRUs) contain a substantial part of the area's remaining high quality water courses, and reflect the variety of aquatic habitats occupied by these species - both historically and presently.</font></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:0in;'><span style='font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(102, 153, 0);'><font size='3'>These units were selected based on:</font></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:0in;'></p><ul><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>the presence of federally listed and state imperiled species</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>the designation of critical habitat for these species</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>expert knowledge about essential habitat components required for these species to survive</font></span></li></ul><p></p><p style='margin-bottom:0in;'><span style='font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(102, 153, 51); background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><font size='3'>Suitable habitat for these species includes:</font></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:0in;'></p><ul><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>areas with geomorphically stable stream and river channels</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>suitable flow regimes</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>clear water</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>a diversity of channel substrate types with minimal amounts of fine sediment and filamentous algae</font></span></li><li><span style='text-indent:-0.25in;'><font size='3'>few or no competitive or predaceous nonnative species</font></span></li></ul><p></p><p style='margin-bottom:14.25pt; background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><font size='3'><span style='background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'>The purpose of designating SHUs and SRR Us is to facilitate</span> watershed management and restoration efforts addressing habitat and water quality issues.</font></p><p><br /></p></div>